Drink
by septasonicxx
Summary: Zack wants to go drinking. He needs a drinking buddy. Everyone's busy. Poor Zack... #78 of the 100 themes challenge.


"Let's go drinking." Zack said, leaning his elbows on Angeal's desk and propping his head up on his hands. Angeal looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because! I want to." Zack said stubbornly. Angeal sighed and leant back in his chair, folding his arms and staring pointedly at Zack.

"You and I both have work to do." Angeal said firmly.

"I know but-"

"I have to hand this in by the end of the day." Angeal interrupted, gesturing to a pile of papers that sat on his desk.

"What are they for?" Zack asked curiously, peering down at them.

"I'm not sure yet, I haven't gotten through much. I think I just have to sign some pages though." Angeal said, flicking through the pile and then shrugging and leaving it alone.

"Can't you just sign them now then?" Zack asked.

"I have to read everything first." Angeal said.

"Why?" Zack asked, frowning.

"Because if I don't, I might be signing something I don't agree with." Angeal explained. Zack mouthed an 'oh' and then nodded.

"Of course. So can we go drinking?" he asked again.

"Zack, I'm busy." Angeal groaned.

"Fine! I'll go ask Genesis." Zack snapped, standing up properly and heading to the door.

"Genesis has more work than I do." Angeal said before he could leave completely. Zack froze and his shoulders sagged slightly before he pulled himself together again and turned to Angeal once more.

"I'll ask Seph!"

"He's got three times as me."

"Kunsel would-"

"I saw him five minutes ago in the training room. He looked determined not to stop for at least two hours."

"I guess I could ask Lazard..."

"Are you joking!?"

"Well what about Rufus?"

"You want to ask the President's son?"

"Yeah, okay. Cissnei?"

"Zack...."

"What about Spiky!?"

"Who?"

"Cloud!"

"Cloud Strife?" Angeal frowned.

"Yeah! He'd love to come!" Zack nodded enthusiastically.

"Zack, isn't he under-age?" Angeal asked. Zack paused and thought it over for a minute, then beamed.

"The bar down the street allows people from age sixteen!" he said excitedly.

"Zack, Cloud's only fifteen." Angeal pointed out. Zack's grin fell from his face and he stared in devastation at his mentor.

"Then what am I gonna do?" Zack asked.

"Why don't you go finish writing up the report you were supposed to write last week?" Angeal suggested, raising an eyebrow as if challenging Zack to disagree. Zack whined and gave his best kicked-puppy look, clasping his hands in front of him and pleading with his eyes for Angeal to reconsider.

Angeal sighed. "Why is it so important that you go drinking now?" he asked.

"I just want to!" Zack said, his voice still whiny.

"There's no purpose to it." Angeal said, shaking his head.

"But it's nine o'clock at night! It's the perfect time to go drinking!" Zack argued.

"Meaning I wouldn't get my work done." Angeal said. "Why don't you just go by yourself?"

"By myself? Do you have any idea how boring that would be? Besides, drinking alone makes people think you've got issues." Zack folded his arms. Angeal rubbed his temples, trying to make his headache go away.

"Zack, you and I both know I'm not going to say yes." he finally said.

"Not fair!" Zack yelled. "I'm gonna ask Genesis!"

Spinning around, Zack darted out the door before Angeal could stop him. He banged loudly on the door to Genesis' office and once the 'come in' was uttered he pushed it open and walked in.

"Hey Genesis." Zack beamed. Genesis looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Hi, Zack." he replied.

"Let's go drinking." Zack said, leaning his elbows on Genesis' desk and propping his head up on his hands.

"What?" Genesis asked.

"I really wanna go!" Zack said, the whine already beginning to enter his voice.

"Zack, I'm really busy. Why don't you ask Angeal?" Genesis suggested, trying to be helpful.

"I already did! And he's busy too!" Zack exclaimed, stepping away from the desk to throw his hands into the air.

"I see." Genesis said.

"Please, please, please!?" Zack begged.

"I'm sorry, but I have to get this stuff done tonight." Genesis shook his head.

"That's not fair!" Zack said. "Why can't anyone else be like me and not care about the paperwork side of things?"

"You'll understand it more when you're a first class." Genesis said.

"Then someone had better make me a first soon or I'll go nuts not understanding!" Zack said, stomping his foot. "Are you sure you can't come?"

"Zack! Give it up, okay?" Genesis said, slamming his hands down on his desk. "I'm trying to concentrate! Look, I'm sorry, but could you please just go find someone else to ask?"

Zack deflated. His shoulders drooped, his head flopped forward and he slowly slunk towards the door, dragging his feet. Genesis sighed and shook his head.

Once outside, Zack began bouncing again. He hurried over to Sephiroth's office and pounded on the door. A response was mumbled and Zack came hurtling in, all smiles.

"Hey, Seph!" he said happily.

"Hi, Zack." Sephiroth said in a monotone.

"Let's go drinking!" Zack said, leaning his elbows on Sephiroth's desk and propping his head up on his hands. Sephiroth slowly raised his head to look at Zack, and the dark-haired second class SOLDIER took a step back, removing his elbows from the desk.

"Eheh, I was just joking." Zack said, grinning and running from the room.

Sephiroth raised one eyebrow and turned back to his work, not knowing that he had dark circles around his eyes and his hair was a mess. What he did know, however, was that he had been trying to get one pile of work done for two weeks now.

Zack re-entered Angeal's office and came skipping over to his friends desk.

"Zack, what do you-"

"Let's go drinking!"


End file.
